Recap / Avatar: The Last Airbender "Bato of the Water Tribe"

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"Being a man is knowing where you're needed the most, and for you right now that's here protecting your sister."

While our heroes continue on their journey, they happen by an old friend of Katara and Sokka's; Bato, a Southern Water Tribe Warrior, who has been separated from the rest of the fighters. However, he should be receiving word of Chief Hakoda, the water-tribe siblings' father, any day now, and Bato promises to take them with him. However, as the reunion continues, Aang finds himself feeling ignored and forgotten, fearing that he's losing his new found family. Meanwhile, Zuko recruits a bounty-hunter named June whose Shirshu can track by smell, and using Katara's necklace he begins to narrow in on his prey.

Tropes:

Bits of Me Keep Passing Out: Just when Sokka is regaining movement after the shirshu stings him, some debris from a building damaged in the fight falls on him.

Blatant Lies: June saying she's short on cash, while gathering in winnings, immediately followed by shouting "drinks on me!"

Editorial Synaesthesia: Shots from the point of view of the scent-oriented shirshu overlay scent trails, colour coded per person, over a grey and blurred-around-the-edges image of what a human would see.

Bato: Not all of which were hilarious at the time, but everything's funny in hindsight.

Impairment Shot: After being doused in perfume, the shirshu's "vision" turns into nothing but ribbons of colors.

Kavorka Man: Iroh, who flirts with two different women in one episode!

My God, What Have I Done?: Sokka doesn't say it out loud, but after recalling when he had been left behind at home as a little kid, he feels bad for leaving Aang behind as well.

Noodle Incident: Several of Bato and Sokka and Katara's father's adventures are mentioned but not elaborated on. Also, apparently Miyuki, the herbalist's cat from "The Blue Spirit," once got in trouble with the Fire Nation...

Rite of Passage: Bato gives the three kids a challenge to sail a ship through a field of rocks without his help, as a warm-climate variation on the Water Tribe's traditional "ice-dodging."

Ship Tease: Katara kisses Aang on the cheek for the first time for getting her necklace back.

And for Zutara fans, June's first reaction seeing Zuko with Katara's necklace is to ask if he's lost his girlfriend. Later, when she first sees Katara, June jokes, "No wonder she left, she's way too pretty for you."

What the Hell, Hero?: Sokka gives a rather harsh one to Aang after he and Katara find out Aang had hidden the map from them. However, Sokka overcomes this later and decides that Aang is a part of their family, so he and Katara go back to find Aang and apologize.

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